Combination landing nipplecirculating mandrel



Sept. 18, 1962 P. B. HAMMAKER COMBINATION LANDING NIPPLE-'CIRCULATING MANDREL.

Filed Jan. 25, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. P. B. HAMMAKER f rP 4 TTORNEYS Sept. 18, 1962 P. B. HAMMAKER 3,054,456

COMBINATION LANDING NIPPLE--CIRCULATING MANDREL Filed Jan. 25, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. P. B. HAMMA KER A T TORNE V5 United States Patent @thee 3,@54456 Patented Sept. l8,- i952 This invention relates to a landing nipple-circulating mandrel combination for use in multiple completed deep wells. In-one aspect it relates to such an apparatus cornbination for use in multiple completion cased and in multiple completion uncased deep wells wherein wireline workover equipment and techniques in the several zones can be used.

It is well known in the oil production art that the drillingof deep wells and their completion for production are extremely expensive operations. Many cost saving methods and apparatus have been put to use. In areas in which there are two or more oil-containing horizons, some conditions permit the production of oil from two or more horizons through a single borehole. Such an operation is economical in that, for example, one borehole costs less than two boreholes. However, to complete wells'for production from two horizons through a single borehole costs more than to complete a Well for production from one horizon. However, a dual well completion costs less than two single well completions, at least in most cases.

Another item of high cost in the completion of oil wells is the casing. A rather recent development in the completion of deep wells is the omission of the conventional casing. In such a case, two orA more strings of tubing are employed, one each for production of oil from each of the two or more oil producing strata when the well is to be a multiple completion well.

My invention deals-with a combination landing nipple and circulating mandrel. This apparatus has particular utility in casingless dual production wells, but it can be used with advantage in cased dual production wells.

In casingless completions,v as mentioned above, the well is not provided with the conventional thick wall casing. The several tubing strings are run with all the auxiliary equipment required; then the tubings are cemented in place from the bottom of the well to a level atleast above the upper oil-bearing formation. After the cement has set, each tubing is perforated at the level of the vformation desired'to beproduced and production is started.

In such casingless completions, the tubing strings employed 'should' be of suiiiciently large diameter to accomm'odate a pumpin case it 'is ever necessary-to produce by pumping.

The landing nipple-circulating mandrel of this invention can, however, beetnployed in completions in which casing aftertherequired volume of cement'has been forced fromthe tubingstrings into the annulus between the'tubings and -the walls Vof thewell, the inner'walls of the tubiugsl can easily be washed fre'efrom'adhering cement'by circulation-*of a-washing liquid-down one tubing 'and up theother, with communication havingy been provided from one 'tubingr to` the other by the'landingnipplecirculating mandrel-'of this invention.

An object of this invention isthe provision of a landing.- nipple-circulating mandrel for use during wire line work-l overs. Another object is the provision in one piece of equipment of all the conventional landing nipples necessary to plug od onezone while Workingon another.V Yet another Object is the provision of Such a piece of equipment suitable for hanging an' extension tube for cementing operations, and for hanging a retrievable patchingl sleeve in` the event of openings produced in the tubing by erosion. Still other objects and advantages ofthis invention will be realized by those skilled inthe art upon reading the following description which, taken with the attached drawing, forms a part of'this specication.

In the drawing, FIGURE l illustrates'a landing nipplecirculating mandrel installed in a dual production casingless well. FIGURE 2 illustrates, in diagrammatic form, a longitudinal view, partly in section, of a landing nipplecirculating` mandrel of this invention. FIGURE 3'illustrates a portion of the apparatus of FIGURE 2 onA an enlarged scale. FIGURE 4 is a longitudinaly View, in section, of an alternate embodiment of landing nipplecirculating mandrel. FIGURE 5 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a cased well, in which landing nipplecirculating mandrels of this invention are used. FIG- URE 6 illustrates diagrammatically an apparatus for use' with the embodiment of FGURE 4. FIGURES 7 and 8 illustrate, respectively, a reverse openingy check valve and a blanking plug.

In FIGURE l ofthe drawing, reference numeral 11" string 14. To the bottom end of'tubing 21 is attachedV a guide shoe 2t) containing a cementing back pressure valve; The particular type of guide shoe and back pressure valve employed isy immaterial. `The guide/shoe and back pressure valve illustrated in FIGURE 7 of'a copending application," Serial No. 4,537, tiled January 25, 1960,

is particularly suitable for use'herein and is preferable to many which are available.

Cement 19 is provided to till the space ofthe well bore not occupied by the tubings, mandrel, guide shoe and other pieces of equipment such as tubing clamps`23 and other landing nipples 2.2, up to and'slightly above they Perforations 17 and 18v upper oil bearing formation. provide iiow paths for ow of oil from the ,Upper forniationinto tubing l'and'from thelower formation into tubing 14, respectively.

FIGURE 2 illustrates a preferred form of'. landing nipple-circulating mandrel of'this invention.' This apparatus' comprises an' elongated body member or housing 30 having a pair of conduits 34"and 35`extending thi-oughout the length ofthe housir'ig.4 These conduits denne walls 31, 32 and 33, as shown. Wall 33 isy common to both conduits. Co1'1duit`34V is ofV larger'diameter over most of its length" than conduit 35. Grooves41,42,g43 and 44 are provided at the locations shownin FIGURE 2.` Such grooves provide shoulders therebetween for` suspending'blanking plugs, hanging extension tubsfr cementing operations and for hanging retrievable patchingl An opening 38is provided in the lower portion *ofv wall 33 to provide communication'betweenconduits 341 and 35, whendesired. Positioned within' conduit- 341 Conduits 34 and 35 are full open-` and against wall 33 at the level of opening 38 is a cage 36 having openings 39 in its bottom and an open top end 47. A plug 37 illustrated on an enlarged scale in FIGURE 3, provided with sealing O-rings 40 is positioned within the cage 36 at such time as it is desired tok close opening 38 against fluid ow from conduit to conduit. e Plug 37 is provided with a head 48 at its upperl e'nd as a means for attaching a plug insertion or removal tool. plug with respect to opening 38 that the plug does not move up or down as a result of hydrostatic pressure from conduit 35. Openings 39 provide for pressure equalization on the plug. A plug insertion and withdrawal tool 45 is illustrated in FIGURE 2. Such tools are well known in the well completion and workover art and a detailed explanation thereof is believed not necessary to the present invention. This plug insertion and withdrawal tool 45 is run into the well and withdrawn therefrom on a wire line 46.

For inserting plug 37 into cage 36 to block off or to close opening 38, 'theV plug is inserted into the lower end of tool 45 and the assembly run on the wire line downward through tubing 13. As arms 25 enter the enlarged diameter section of conduit 34, the arms expand under the inuence of spring 26, thereby moving the lower end of tool 45 with plug 37 toward wall 33. When plug 37 is properly inserted into cage 36,*pin 37a is sheared thereby releasing tool 45 and the latter is withdrawn from the tubing by a wire line. 'Ihe axis of plug 37 is parallelV to the axis of conduit 34. The diameter of conduit 34 at its midsection is greater than the diameter of this conduit at its ends. The diameter of conduit 34 at its midsection less the diameter of cage 36 is approximately equal to the diameter of the well tubing string communicating with conduit 34.

The embodiment of landing nipple-circulating mandrel 51, illustrated in FIGUREY4, serves, in general, the same purpose as that shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. Conduits 52 and 53 are enclosed within walls containing grooves 6 5 similar to those of FIGURE 2. Threads 54 and 55 are for attaching toupper and lower tubings or to tubing nipples, as are threads 28 and 27 of FIGURE 2.

Wall 66 is provided with an opening 56 as shown.Y A sleeve 58 having an opening 56a is slidably positioned in conduit 53. 'I'he wall of conduit 53 is provided with grooves into which are positioned O-ring seals 59. When sleeve 58 is positioned in its lowermost location, Opening 56a matches with opening 56 for providing communication between conduits 52 and 53. A sleeve 67 is threaded to Vthe lower end wall of conduit 53 and previous to installation of this sleeve allows insertion of sleeve 58 as the apparatus is assembled. The `upper end-of this threaded sleeve 67 has a smaller inner diameter than the outer diameter of sleeve 58 thus forming a stop which ends the downward movement of the valve sleeve 58. A pair of snap rings 59a and 59Yb in respective grooves in sleeves 58 engages grooves 58a and 58b, respectively, in the wall of conduit 53, and holds sleeve 58 either up or down to close or to open n respectively the communication port 5,6. The sleeve 58 6 is hydrostatically balanced but some type of retainer is necessary to offset undesired axial lmovement of the sleeve due to vibration, Yfluid friction, or other forces. Conduits 52 and 53 are full opening conduits. Y While FIGURE 4 shows that ports 56 and 56a register when 6 Valve 58. When the upward facing dogs 62,` are ex-V tended, as illustrated, ,the tool is in condition to hook the O-rings `4l) are so positioned around the Y `dogs 62 under the small diameter portion ofrthelower end of the sleeve 58 and raise the valve to close opening 56. The inner diameter of the valve sleeve 58 is smaller than the inner diameter of the upper end of sleeve 67 thereby forming a downwardly facing shoulder 67a. With dogs 62 retracted and dogs 63 extended the toOl is in condition for lowering the sleeve and opening port or opening 56 for communication Vbetween conduits 52 and 53. Eye64 is for attachment of a wire line, as wire line 46 of FIGURE 2.V Y Y In the operation of the embodiment of FIGURES 2 and 3, cement is pumped down'both tubing strings 13 and 14, thereby shortening the pumping time over that required when pumping the cement down only the longest tubing string of the prior art, provided sutiicient pump capacity is available. For a constant pumping rate there will be a lower friction loss than would be the case if cement were pumped'rdown only one string of tubing. If additional pump capacity is available, the cementing time will be correspondingly reduced. After the required amount of cement has been pumped into the tubings, cementing plugs are inserted and drilling fluid, or water, or other suitable liquid, is pumped in thereby pressuring theplugs and cement downward until the plugs land. When a tting like fitting 60 0f FIGURE 1 is employed, the plug from tubing 13 seats at one of the lower grooves 44 below. cage 36. The plug in tubing 14 continues on kdownward until it reaches the guide shoe and back pressure valve 20.V

' means.

Upon release of pump pressure the back pressure valve seats and the cement thus is allowed to set and to harden in the space outside the tubing strings.

lf desired, plug 37 can be inserted into cage 36 during the above ground assembly of the apparatus. After all the cement is pumped and the cementing plugs have reached their respective bottoms, tool 45 is run on a wire lineand plug V37 is withdrawn. Port 38V is then open and all traces of cement can be washed from inside tubings 13 and 14 by circulation of a suitable liquid down one tubing string, through port 38 and up the other tubing string. 'Ihe tubings are then in condition for perforation at the levels of rthe respective oil-,containing formations to be produced.V The single tubing below the landing nipple-,mandrel 22 is not washed free of cement, other than by swabbing or other conventional Single conventional landingrnipples 22 can, if desired,.be run in with the tubing strings.

Plug 37 is set inY place in cage 36 to prevent production fluid from one formation from mixing with that from another formation. Y Y Y The embodiment of apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 4 serves the Same function as does the plug 37 of FIG- URES 2 and 3. Tool 61 of FIGURE 6 raises or lowers sleeve 58 as required to closer or to open port 56.

The herein disclosed landing nipple-circulating mandrel can be used in conventionally'cased wells as well as in casingless wells. Y

The use of the landing nipple-circulating mandrel of FIGURES 2 and 4 eliminates the need for running and pulling of a side door choke and separation tools during cementing and/or well completion operations. The mandrel provides a relatively large opening (38, FIGURE 2, and 56, FIGURE 4) between tubing strings in contrast to the very small conventional side door choke opening. During workover operations a smaller number of wire line trips are required than conventionally required.

As Will be understood by those skilled in the art, conventional dual or multiple well completions make use of side door chokes vand separation tools to prevent intermixing of the production uids from several producing zones. These toolsrare installed inside the tubing Vstring and create severe restrictions to tiuid flow. By use of this invention these tools are no longer necessary and Vthere is no flow restriction during normal well production. The absence of side door chokes and separation tools makes possible the running of otherV wireline toolsV for well'remedial'or workover operations without the necessity of rst removing the side door chokes or separation tools.

During certain well remedialor completion operations, it may be desirable or necessary to introduce one fluid into one of the tubing strings and later replace it with a second fluid. 'Ihis can be done easily with my combination landing nipple-circulating mandrel. For example, it may be desirable to squeeze cement through tubing string `14 and perforation 18 into the lower oil producing zone. To do this a reverse opening check valve 90 (FIGURE 7) is placed in cage 36 (FIGURE 2)' so that no fluid can pass from tubing 14 to tubing 13. Cement is then pumped down tubing 14 andthrough perforation 18 into the lower oil producing zone. Water or drilling mud is used to displace the cement. After a suitable quantity of cement has been forced through perforation 18, some of the cement as well as a quantity of Water or mud will remain in tubing 14. At this time water or oil can be circulated down tubing 13 through lthe reverse opening check valve and into tubing 14 to rise upwardly to the surface and displace all of the remaining cement and the mud. Tubing 14is then clean of all foreign material and additional well operations can be conducted inside the tubing. For example, tubing 14 may be perforated opposite productive formation 16a for continued oil production from a different zone.

The reverse opening check valve 99, as illustrated in FIGURE 7, is a ball check` valve which allows passage only yof displacing fluid through openings 91, around valve ball 92 and out of the valve byway of openings 93. From these openings, the displacing liquid flows through port 37 into conduit 14.

Many other well operations are greatly facilitated through the use of this invention. Formation fracturing operations sometimes deposit sand or other propping agents inthe well casing or tubing. This yundesired sand may be readily circulated out. Similarly, acidizing of a formation may be facilitated.

It is to be mentioned that any number of my combination landing nipple-circulating mandrel assemblies can be used in a given well. For example, it usually will be convenient to place one betweenV each pair of producing zones as well as another above the highest potential producing zone. Moreover, it will be readily apparent that 3 vorv more strings of tubing can be connected 4together with only minor modification to the device illustrated in the drawings.

FIGURE 5 illustrates a completed cased well which penetrated three oil bearing formations, and the production tubings were providedwithcombination landing nipple-circulating mandrels of this invention. In this gure a well bore 7G extends downward from ground level 69 through oil bearing formations 75, 76 and 77. Casing 71 is run as usual. Tubings 72 and 73 provided with properly spaced packers 81, S2 and 83 and with properly spaced combination landing nipple-circulating mandrel assemblies 74 are run into the casing. Cementing can be carried out using both tubings or just tubing 73 in which is positioned the side of the mandrels containing the cage 36 for plug 37 (as in FIGURES 2 and 3). Following cementing the plug in the lower mandrel is removed and the tubings washed with mud or with water as desired.

Following this washing operation the plug 37 is inserted into its cage in the lower mandrel to close the circulating port 38. The axis of said plug 37 is parallel to the axis of the conduit 34. A blanking plug 95 (FIG- URE 8) is run in tubing 72, if not previously run, and set in the lower mandrel 74. In this manner liuid from formation 77 ows into the lower end of tubing string 73 but cannot enter tubing 72. This tubing 72 and the casing are directionally perforated adjacent formation 76 so as not to perforate tubing 73. After this perfo- 5 ration operation is completed, formationsV 76andf77fare produced separately through tubings 72 and-f 73, respectively. If, for example, production from formation 76 or 77 ever decreases to a volume which-is-uneconomical, this formation can lbe plugged off, andithe upper formation 75 produced through one of the tubing strings.

For completing a cased well using the combination mandrel, standard packers, tubing with mandrels, etc., are run in a conventional manner. The mandrel would be provided with a dummy valve in the sidepocket-to blank `off the circulating port.v The proposed completion zone between packers is perforated with an oriented tubing gun. The lower production zone is perforated below the lower packer with a conventional tubingM gun, and the dual well is ready for production.

To recomplete a well through the'tubing string attached to the plug side of the mandrel, a plug is landed`` in the other side of the mandrel below the circulating port. The dummy Valve which was positioned originally in the sidepocket is replaced with a circulating sleeve or 4a reverse opening check valve, which ever'is desired. An extension tube is hung from a level above the pocket in the pocket side of the mandrel and extends downward through a packer to a level adjacent ,an oil bearing formation to be cemented. Cement is then pumped through the tubing containing the extension tube,throu'gh the extension tube and squeezed into a lower formation. The cement within the tubing and casing is removed by pumping drilling fluid, water or other suitable liquid down the tubing opposite the pocket side.

The circulating sleeve-and the extension tube are withdrawn andthe dummy valve replaced. The lower zone is then perforated by running a gun through the pocket side. The plug previously landed is withdrawn and production restored from both zones.

To recomplete through the opposite tubing string, the procedure is the same utilizing the opposite landing nipples.

The combination mandrel is equally applicable in the manner described to open hole multiplejcompletions. While certain embodiments of the invention' have been described for illustrative purposes, the invention obviously is not limited thereto.

I claim: 1. A combination landing nipple-circulatingmandrel for a multizone permanent type well completion, comprising, in combination:

a unitary body member; a rst conduit in said body extending vertically therein; threaded means in said body above andbelow'said first conduit for attaching a first pair of fwelltubings above and below said'rst conduit `in axial alignment with each other; said firstconduit providing an unobstructed straight through, full bore passage connecting said rst pair of Well tubings; a second conduit in said body extending vertically therein, separated from said lirst conduit by a single wall;

threaded means in said body above and below said second conduit for attaching a second pair of well tubings above and below said second conduit in axial alignment with each other, said second conduit providing an unobstructed, straight through, full bore passage connecting said second pair of well tubings;

a port through said wall providing communication between said trst and second conduits;

an enlargement in said second conduit, encompassing the vicinity of said port;

valve means in said enlargement for controlling said port, said valve means being outside a vertical projection of the open bore of said second pair of Well tubings;

rst tool supporting means in said first conduit above said port;

q second tool supporting means in said first conduit below said port;

Y third tool supporting means in said second conduit aboveY said port; and` `fourth tool supporting means below said port. Y

2. A combination landing nipple-circulating mandrel in said second conduit for a multizone permanent type well-completion, comprising, in combination: Y

K threaded means in said body above andbelow said second conduit for attaching a second pair of well tubings above and below said second conduit in axial alignment with each other, said second conduit providing an unobstructed, straight through, full bore passage connecting said second pair of well tubings;

i a port through said wall providing communication between -said iirst and second conduits;

an enlargement in said second conduit, encompassing thevicinity of said port; a cage fixed to the wall of said second conduit adjacent said port outside a vertical projection of the open bore Yof said second pair ofrwell tubings;

j arremovable plug in Ysaid cage closing said valve passage,

thereby preventing communication between said iirst conduit and said second conduit through said port;

Y a first plurality of grooves in the wall of said first conduit above said port, providing iirst tool supporting means;

' a second plurality of grooves in the wall of said Iirst conduit below said port, providing second tool supporting means;

fra third plurality of grooves in the wall of said second conduit above said port, providing third tool supporti-Y ing means; and t t a fourth plurality of grooves in the wall of said second conduit below said port providing fourth tool supporting means. 3. A combination landing nipple-circulating mandrel for a multizone permanent type well completion, comprising, in combination:

a unitary` body member; t a iirst conduit in said body extending vertically therein;

threaded-means in said body above and below said iirst conduit -forY attaching a rst pair of well tubings above and below said first conduit in axial-alignment with each other, said rst conduit providing an unobstructed straight through, full bore'p'assage'connecting said first pair of well tubings; Y

a second conduit in said body extending vertically therein, separated from said first conduit by a single wall;

A threaded means in said body above and below said second conduit for attaching a second pair of well tubings above and below said second conduit in axial alignment with each other, said second conduit providing an unobstructed, straight through, full bore passage connecting said second pair of well tubings;

la first port through said wall providing communication between said iirst and second conduits;

a cylindrical enlargement insaid second conduit, er1- compassing the vicinity of said rst port;

a sleeve slidably tting the wall of said enlargement, said sleeve being wholly outside a vertical projection of the open bore of said second pair of well tubings;

stop means above and below said sleeve to limit upward and downward movement thereof;

l asecond port in said sleeve, said second portpermitting connection-between said first conduit andrsaid second conduit through saidfirst port when said sleeve is xed against one ofV said stops, said sleeve preventing communication between said first conduit and said second conduit when said sleeve is xed against the other of said stops; Y

a iirst plurality of grooves in the wall of said rst conduit above said first port, providing first tool supporting means; I y

a second plurality of grooves in the'wall of said first conduit below said rst port, providing second tool supporting means;

a third plurality of grooves in the wall of saidsecond conduit above said'rst port, providing third tool supporting means; Vand j Y Y t a fourth plurality of grooves in the wall of said second conduit below -said first port providing fourth tool supporting means. t o

References Cited in the leof this patent UNITED YSTATES PATENTS A Anderson et al. Sept.v 17, 1957 2,850,099 Brown V f r r f sept. V2, s 2,923,357 Damn Feb. 2, 1960 OTHER REFERENCES VParallel Macaroni String Cuts Well gCosts, The Petroleum Engineer, volume 29, No. 1, January 1957,

pages B-38 to 44 inclusive (page B-4O relied on). 

